Baha'i Institute for Higher Education

About

The Baha'i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) is a unique, informal educational institution operating underground in Iran, established to provide higher education to Baha'i youth who are systematically denied access to state universities due to their faith. Academically, BIHE offers a broad range of programs across various disciplines, relying on a network of volunteer professors and educators, many of whom are Baha'is themselves or supporters from around the world. For prospective international students, it's crucial to understand that BIHE does not operate as a traditional university with a physical campus or dedicated international student services; its 'international' aspect stems from the global academic community's solidarity and support, providing resources and expertise. While it doesn't host international students in the conventional sense, its graduates frequently gain admission to prestigious postgraduate programs at universities worldwide, a testament to the quality and recognition of its education. Its most distinctive characteristic is its very existence as a resilient, community-driven institution providing education in defiance of religious persecution.

Background

The Baháʼí Institute for Higher Education (BIHE), is a unique open university in Iran, which has been incorrectly portrayed as an underground university, established by the Baháʼí community of Iran in 1987 to meet the educational needs of young people who have been systematically denied access to higher education by the Iranian government. Currently, through a main faculty in Iran and an Affiliated Global Faculty from universities around the world, BIHE offers a total of 56 undergraduate and graduate programs in Sciences, Engineering, Business and Management, Humanities, and Social Sciences. More than 116 universities in North America, Europe, and Australia have thus far accepted the BIHE's graduates directly into programs of graduate study at the masters and doctoral levels. BIHE has a decentralized and fluid structure and uses a hybrid approach of offline and online delivery methods which has enabled it to grow under unusual sociopolitical circumstances. Despite numerous arrests, periodic raids, several imprisonments, mass confiscation of school equipment and general harassment, BIHE has continued and even expanded its operation. BIHE has received praise for offering...

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